Jean-Luc Dehaene | Ex-Belgian premier, 73

Former Belgian prime minister Jean-Luc Dehaene, 73, who helped set up the European Union treaty and led his nation during the 1990s when it granted increasing autonomy to its Dutch- and French-speaking regions, has died.

Mr. Dehaene, a Dutch-speaking Christian Democrat, had been diagnosed with cancer earlier this year, but died after a fall in France, media reports said.

He had been key in brokering an EU constitution, but after referendums in two member states rejected it, many parts of the plan were taken up by the treaty of Lisbon that currently sets policy for the 28-nation EU.

After two terms as prime minister, he became a member of the European Parliament, and, combining his love of football with his knowledge of finances, he also took the lead in Union of European Football Associations' campaign to control excessive spending by Europe's top clubs. - AP